Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The M27PG135F starts out in its User mode which needs a bit of work to achieve its full potential. Luckily, gamma is spot-on out of the gate, so all that’s needed is a grayscale calibration.
Grayscale and Gamma Tracking
Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.
The M27PG135F’s cool tone is apparent from 30% brightness and higher. This makes the image less lively and negates some of the high color saturation. The off-target white point affects all colors negatively, which you’ll see in the gamut tests below.
Calibration fixes these issues and results in visually perfect grayscale tracking. Gamma is unchanged, which is a good thing. Though it is slightly below the 2.2 reference line, its range of values is super tight, preserving detail in all parts of the image. This is excellent performance.
Comparisons
6.35dE is not a great start for the M27PG135F, though it is not the worst of the bunch. The top three screens don’t require calibration, so it is certainly possible to have high out-of-box accuracy at this price point. Once adjustments are made, the M27PG135F is right in the mix with the others. Visually, there is no difference between any of them.
Gamma tracking is excellent, with a tiny 0.02 range of values. That’s one of the best results I’ve recorded in this test. The average of 2.15 is 2.27% off the reference, so the M27PG135F is just the tiniest bit light. It’s possible to pick a darker gamma if that is your preference. It will track just as straight as the default setting.
Color Gamut Accuracy
Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.
The M27PG135F’s two gamut charts clearly show the effect of a grayscale calibration. Before adjustment, all the colors are off target with both saturation and hue errors. In practice, the picture is two-dimensional, with no visible warmth or variation in tone. Calibration fixes all of this neatly and takes the M27PG135F to near-reference level.
Comparisons
It’s a bummer that the M27PG135F must be calibrated to meet its full potential, but it’s well worth the effort. It goes from a mediocre image to a stellar one. 1.31dE is about as good as it gets in this test.
With nearly 98% coverage of DCI-P3, it also excels in color volume. To put it simply, the M27PG135F is very colorful. It comfortably beats the other screens. Granted, the difference between it and the second-place AOC is small, but when compared to the entire category, there are few monitors with this much color. The only thing missing is an sRGB mode. You won’t use an M27PG135F for color grading unless it’s in the DCI-P3 format. For gaming, this is no problem.
Test Takeaway: The M27PG135F delivers a ton of color volume and superb accuracy once calibrated. It’s a bummer that adjustment is required, but given the other positives, this is a small price to pay. The picture quality is premium in nearly every way.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: How We Test PC Monitors
MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor
